From a press release issued by the World Superbike Championship press office:

Michelin: Sugo and tyres

“Our main challenge at Sugo is grip,” explains Nicolas Goubert, Michelin’s chief of motorcycle competitions. “The track has about the same number of left-handers and right-hand corners. Traction is very important at Sugo. Both grip and traction are very im portant on the exit to the chicane just before the start/finish straight. If traction isn’t good enough there, the rider will loose ground. He won’t be able to overtake and that will end up costing him places. The track surface is different compared to other circuits we go to and that makes it difficult for us to find grip. To be fast at Sugo, riders have to be confident with the front, especially in the first part of the circuit. When it’s cold, the first left-hander always creates problems. So we need tyres that warm up fast, that give good grip and that last long.”

“Our first challenge is to beat the many Japanese riders using local tyres,” adds Nicolas Goubert. “They know the circuit like the back of their hands. The Japanese championship takes them racing there at least twice a year and of course they also race the world Superbike round.”

“The difficult thing for us is that we are unable to test there as much and as often as we’d like,” adds Jean Hérissé, Michelin’s Superbike manager.

Michelin and Sugo.

Michelin brings a total of 600 tyres (400 rears and 200 fronts), wet and dry, for this race. Sizes are 19 / 67-420 (16,5 inch) for rear slicks, rain tyres and intermediates. Front tyre sizes are 12/ 60-420 (16.5 inch) tyres.